Stay Connected with friends and former classmates
Register for the May 4th JSOM ReunionWelcome home, Jindal School alumni!
The JSOM Alumni Relations team is dedicated to keeping you connected to your alma mater and helping you support your university! To reach us directly, visit the JSOM Alumni Contact page or email us at jsomalumni@utdallas.edu.
Alumni Spotlight
Phil Neighorn, BA’95, MBA’01
Managing Director, Central Zone Surety Practice, Leadermarsh USA
Phil Neighorn has more than 16 years of experience as an insurance professional and balances his time between working for Marsh USA, a global leader in insurance broking and risk management, and mentoring Jindal School students. He is committed to helping both audiences develop business strategies to successfully reach goals. Whether he is assisting an international client or providing advice to a promising student, he regularly shares his extensive industry knowledge. He also routinely uses the skills he developed while earning his undergraduate degree and an MBA from the Jindal School.
Larry Chasteen, PhD’03
Clinical Professor, Director of Online Graduate Programs, The University of Texas at Dallas
Chasteen’s students probably don’t realize he is a product of the Naveen Jindal School of Management.
Brittany Weber, BS’14, MS’15
Assurance Senior, EY
As a member of the Professional Program in Accounting, Brittany Weber graduated with a BS in accounting in spring 2014 and an MS in accounting in spring 2015. Through the PPA recruitment process, she was able to secure an internship and later a full-time offer from EY.
Joe Warren, BS’11
Software Engineer, USAA
Each day, I strive to use best practices, creating beautiful and accessible experiences for our internal and member-facing systems.
Jeff Hightower, MBA’01
SVP, Group Manager, Corporate Banking, Green Bank, NA
At Green Bank, Hightower originates and develops relationships with commercial clients. He also oversees a team of relationship managers.
Allen Mueller, MBA’15
Senior Analyst, Fuel Strategy, Vistra Energy
Mueller, a recent Jindal School graduate, has spent a decade in mining engineering and operations, most recently at Luminant Energy in Dallas and Martin Marietta Materials in San Antonio. He earned his undergraduate and master’s degree in mining engineering at Southern Illinois University.
Dustin Gadberry, BS’07
Chief Executive Officer, Gadberry Construction Company, Inc.
Gadberry is in his second decade in the construction business, having launched his company in 2000. He grew the business while completing his degree at The University of Texas at Dallas.
Brandy Arbuthnot, BS’99 MS’02
Tax Partner, BDO, USA LLP
In her current position at BDO, Arbuthnot assists accounting clients with their tax compliance and consulting needs including tax returns, tax provision preparation and review, assistance with tax implications of mergers and acquisitions, and other tax planning matters. She joined BDO, an international assurance, tax and financial advisory services firm, after earning her undergraduate accounting degree. Her master’s degree is also in accounting. “My degrees prepared me for a career in public accounting and the necessary qualifications for the CPA exam. Furthermore, my experience at UT Dallas prepared me to have success the professional world,” she said. BDO certainly covers the world, with offices in 167 countries.
Michelle Ketsler, MBA’14
Senior Manager, Vistra Energy
Michelle Ketsler, whose MBA studies included a concentration in finance and strategic management, is the senior manager for demand management and account service management at Vistra Energy. She is responsible for establishing and managing the governance of Vistra Energy’s retail technology investment portfolio and ensuring approved projects are aligned with the company’s strategy.
Samir Patel, BS’13 MBA’14
Founder/Portfolio Manager, Askeladden Capital Management
Askeladden is the investment adviser to a long-only limited partnership (hedge fund) and separately managed accounts (SMAs), running a concentrated, long-term oriented, small-and-micro-cap portfolio. Patel graduated magna cum laude with a biochemistry degree from UT Dallas when he was 19 years old, and concentrated in finance and supply chain in his MBA, which he completed when he was 20.
David Taylor, MBA’09
Chief Operating Officer, Intellicentrics.
Taylor completed his Global Leadership MBA (GLEMBA) degree, which, he says, “opened up (my) ability to be multi-disciplinary and global yet local.” IntelliCentrics, based in Flower Mound, focuses on safety and security in healthcare operations. As COO, Taylor oversees global operations, innovation, technology and people operations.
Mark Fuqua, BS’79
Exec Vice President And Manager, Energy Banking Comerica Bank
Fuqua completed his BS/Business Administration degree with a finance concentration at UT Dallas when undergrads had been on the UTD campus a mere four years.
Atanas Hansen, BS’11 MS’13
Senior Business Analyst; New York Life Insurance Company
Working for a 173-year-old company provides a fantastic environment to observe how business processes and technology evolved over time
Ron Dugan, MS’91
Portfolio Manager, AmeriTrust
Dugan, who recently joined AmeriTrust in Tulsa, manages client portfolios in order to meet their individual investment objectives. “My time at UTD was integral in building upon my educational foundation,” he said. “The flexibility of the degree program gave me the opportunity to focus more of my studies in finance, which helped me at my job at that time and prepared me for larger roles going forward.” Dugan, who earned his grad degree in Management and Administrative Sciences, with a heavy concentration in finance (before Jindal School offered a master’s degree in finance) had earned his undergraduate accounting degree at Texas A&M University. He is both a CPA and a Certified Financial Analyst. He has broad experience in the financial industry, including time at the Meadows Foundation in Dallas and Russell Investments in Tacoma, WA.
Tina T. Hoang, BS’09
Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual
Hoang, who graduated cum laude with a Business Administration degree, says her degree gave her the knowledge, resources and connections to help people with their financial planning needs. “It helped me build character, business acumen and find the passion for what I do now,” she says. She says she is proud her work will impact families and businesses now “and last … on into the following generations.” She was recently selected as one of 60 representatives nationwide to attend a special fast-track program for young advisers in Milwaukee. While there, she took part in the challenge course.
Jenny Rush, BS’85
Founder, Lymethriving
I came to UT Dallas in the early ‘80s when the campus was young. I loved the flexibility of night classes as I was working full-time at an advertising agency.
J.B. Yett, BS’09, MS’10
Audit Manager, Grant Thornton LLP
Yett earned both his undergraduate and master’s degree in accounting from Jindal School, where he was part of the selective Professional Program in Accounting. The PPA offers top accounting students smaller classes along with training in soft skills and access to choice internships. Upon graduation, Yett joined Grant Thornton where his current responsibilities include managing multiple audit engagement teams and client relationships. His role includes ensuring high quality audit execution and distinctive client service.
Gary Tillett, BS’82
U.S. Financial Services Partner, New York Metro Deals Leaderpricewaterhousecoopers
Gary Tillett’s notable career spans three decades and includes roles in several divisions within the same “big four” accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers. Tillett currently serves as the New York Metro Deals Leader and is a partner in the U.S. Financial Services sector at PwC. In this dual role, he leads a practice of more than 400 deals professionals and serves some of PwC’s largest corporate and private-equity clients with investments in the financial services sector. Tillett attributes his success to his commitment to the delivery of quality client service and his desire to maintain a comprehensive lifestyle, which has included active community service within his career and personal life since an early stage.
Randall Tan, BS’13
Key Account Manager at Softlayer, An IBM Company
Randall Tan had plenty of success before launching his academic career at The University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to coming to UT Dallas, he earned the Gold Individual Physical Proficiency Test while serving with the Singapore armed forces.
Pat McCown, BS’91
Partner, State and Local Tax, Grant Thornton LLP
Pat McCown has combined hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit in an accounting career that spans more than 20 years and includes a major merger and two partner positions. He is credited with creating and introducing new ideas into the accounting profession, generating dramatic increases in revenue and developing constructive client relationships. Pat earned a degree in from the Jindal School and says his coursework helped him develop his work ethic and commitment to excellence.